Anthony Joshua's lack of punch resistance was starkly exposed in a chaotic first round against Kristian Prenga, raising urgent questions about his safety in the proposed £150m showdown with Tyson Fury. Joshua was knocked down twice in the opening round before rallying to stop the previously obscure Albanian in the second round of their fight in Jeddah.
Joshua's vulnerability laid bare
After just 20 seconds, a sweeping right hand from Prenga rocked Joshua, followed by a jolting uppercut that sent him to the canvas. Joshua, looking lost and scrambled, pushed himself up after an eight-count but was soon in trouble again. A sharp right cross sent him reeling into the ropes, and another uppercut put him down a second time, though his gloves barely brushed the canvas. Joshua's courage was evident, but his diminished punch resistance was alarming.
"It was a tough moment but I learned a valuable lesson," Joshua said. "Start faster. Come out, fuck this boxing, and be ready. You can do it in 20 seconds." He attributed his recovery to the spirit of his late friends, Sina Ghami and Latif "Latz" Ayodele, who died in a car accident seven months ago. "It's more than punch power. That was spirit. That was Latz, that was Sina," he said, fighting back tears.
Prenga's missed opportunity
Rather than pressing his advantage, Prenga backed away in the second round, allowing Joshua to seize control. Joshua pinned Prenga in a corner and unleashed a barrage of punches, culminating in a ferocious right hand that knocked out the Albanian. Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, admitted he thought Joshua "had come back too soon" after the knockdowns.
"We've signed the contract. Everything is done," Hearn said. "But tonight wasn't about Tyson Fury. It was about the strength Anthony Joshua has shown to be here." The signed contracts stipulate the fight will take place in the UK in November, but Hearn conceded it may now move to the US, requiring new contracts.
Fury's uninspiring performance
Tyson Fury also fought this weekend, beating 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in a lackluster seven-round decision in Thailand. Wach landed a few punches on Fury, who is no longer the elusive technician he once was. Nevertheless, Fury remains a dangerous opponent for a diminished Joshua.
Joshua acknowledged the lesson: "Today was a real good eye-opener." Critics argue that his lack of punch resistance could place him in grave danger against younger heavyweights like Moses Itauma or Daniel Dubois, who knocked out Joshua in 2024.
What lies ahead
The proposed Fury-Joshua fight now appears fraught with peril. While Joshua's camp celebrates his fortitude, the evidence suggests he can no longer absorb heavy punishment. As one observer noted, the bout now seems "freighted as much with danger and potential calamity as colossal amounts of money."
